Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: HANGING DEVICE
INVENTORS: ANDRE ROBICHAUD and CLAYTON R. PETERSON
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to picture hanging, and more particularly to a device
for
ts hanging a picture or a picture frame on drywall material.
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART
There is often a need to install quickly and easily a hook or hanging device
in a wall,
such as for hanging a picture frame, a mirror, or the like. Conventional nails
and
screws require a tool to install, and as such arc not always convenient
solutions.
Thumbtacks or other similar devices, such as that taught in US 6,443,409 to
Zanzucchi on Sept. 3, 2002, may be easily installed without tools, but they
are
typically not very strong and are easily pulled out of the wall surface.
Further,
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drywall, which is the most common form of wall material, is relatively weak.
While
this allows hanging implements to be relatively easily inserted therein, it
also results
in only limited holding strength, particularly when a single shaft such as a
nail or
thumbtack is used.
The prior art is replete with hanging devices that can be installed without
tools. One
common device, disclosed in US Patent 4,509,713 to Hogg on Aug. 24, 1984, and
again in US 2005/0218284 to Kurrasch on Oct. 6, 2005, teaches an arcuate-
shaped
resilient spring having a wall-penetrating tip on one end and a hook on an
opposing
end. This type of device, currently sold under the brand name Monkey Hook
(www.monkeyhook.com), may be pressed through a wall board, whereby the
penetrating tip once through the wall board arcs back up to press against the
back side
of the wall board. Such a device has the benefit of only leaving a relatively
small hole
in the wall when the device is removed.
One drawback to this type of device is the difficulty some people have forcing
the
wire through the wall. A considerable amount of pressure is produced against
the
hands and fingers during installation of this type of device. Further,
excessive
twisting of the device to aid in the penetration of the wall may be required,
often
zo resulting in additional wall damage. Moreover, such a device, while
supporting more
weight than a thumbtack, still can only support up to a relatively small
weight before
causing wallboard failure at the point of penetration.
US Patent 2,789,783 to Jones on June 1, 1953, appears to teach a device
similar to the
Hogg device, and also with a decorative disk for covering the aperture formed
into the
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wall upon insertion of such a device. Such a disk is fixed on the wire of the
device
and is not slidable thereon. As such, this disk cannot be used to aid in
pushing the
penetrating end of the wire through the wall surface. US 6,641,344 to Weiss on
Nov.
4, 2003 teaches a device with a similar disk fixedly formed to the wire. US
4,619,430
to Hogg on Oct. 28, 1986, teaches a similar device to Jones.
US 6,695,276 to Skorka on Feb. 24, 2004 shows a support plate 13 moveable with
respect to a flat wire member, but the support plate in such a device is used
as an
additional support for the wire and hook when installed into the wall. This
additional
to support is required because the bend in the flat wire of such a device
causes wall
board damage as it is inserted and rotated into place, as evidence by gap 34
of FIG. 7
of the Skorka disclosure. Tools are needed to fasten brad nails through the
support
plate and into the wall.
Therefore, there is a need for a hanging device that allows for relatively
quick and
easy installation into a wall without tools. Such a needed device would be
able to
support a heavier load than the prior art devices, and would provide for a
pressure
disk to facilitate penetration of the device into the wall. Further, such a
device would
provide for removal of the disk, or hiding thereof from view, once the device
is
zo installed. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a device for supporting an object, such as a picture
frame, on
a wall. The device includes an arcuate member having a penetration end that
terminates in at least one point. The arcuate member further includes a
support end,
opposite the penetration end, that has a support means. Preferably the support
means
is a U-shaped hook.
In one embodiment of the invention, the device includes a pressure disk
slidably
retained at an aperture therethrough on the arcuate member between the
penetration
end and the support end. A first stop means is included along the arcuate
member
proximate the penetration end for retaining the pressure disk on the arcuate
member.
The first stop means, in one embodiment, is just the binding friction caused
between
the aperture in the pressure disk and the arcuate member when pressure is
applied to
one side of the pressure disk. As such, the arcuate member passes through the
aperture with a close tolerance. Serrations may additionally be included along
the
length of the arcuate member to increase the binding friction of the first
stop means.
Alternately, or additionally, the first stop means may further include a
protrusion
zo formed proximate the penetration end of the arcuate member. The
protrusion extends
away from the arcuate member sufficiently to stop the pressure disk from
sliding past
the protrusion.
The arcuate member may be circular in cross-section, wherein the aperture in
the
pressure disk is also circular and adapted to receive the arcuate member
therethrough.
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In such an embodiment the pressure disk is rotatable on the arcuate member.
Alternately, the arcuate member may be non-circular in cross-section, such as
rectangular, oval, square, D-shape, or the like. As such, the aperture in the
pressure
disk is a cooperative non-circular shape and is adapted to receive the arcuate
member
therethrough, the pressure disk being rotationally fixed with respect to the
arcuate
member.
The support means may alternately take the form of a rigid hook fixedly molded
around, or otherwise attached to, the support end of the arcuate member. Such
a rigid
hook preferably includes a wall-contacting surface and, optionally, a pressure
disk
depression that is recessed from the wall-contacting surface by at least the
width of
the pressure disk, such that the pressure disk may be fully contained, out of
sight,
within the disk depression when the rigid hook is installed fully against the
wall.
A plurality of different support accessories may be included, the rigid hook
being
adapted to support each support accessory thereon. Such support accessories
may
each snap onto, magnetically attach, or otherwise cooperate with the rigid
hook to be
selectively yet firmly held thereby on the wall. Support accessories may
include, for
example, any of the following: various sized picture hanging hooks, double
hooks,
key ring holders, towel holders, coat hangers, or similar types of hook or
hanging-type
devices.
Additionally, the support means may include a wall-penetrating pin for
penetrating
the wall, thereby maintaining the rotational orientation of the support means
with
respect to the wall when fully installed therein. Further, a second stop means
may be
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fixed to the arcuate member for allowing the arcuate member to pass through
the wall
in one direction but not in the reverse direction. Such a second stop means
may be a
protrusion stamped out of the arcuate member proximate the support end, for
example. A non-linear wall engagement section may be further included
proximate
the support end of the arcuate member, such that when fully inserted into the
wall the
device is retained therein by friction of the wall engagement section with the
wall.
Such a wall engagement section may take the form of a more-pronounced arc in
the
arcuate member, serrations, a thicker portion of the arcuate member, or the
like.
In use, with the pressure disk engaging the first stop means and the
penetration end of
the arcuate member contacting the front surface of the wall, pressure is
applied to the
pressure disk to force the penetration end of the arcuate member through the
wall.
The pressure disk is easier for the typical user to press against than the
relatively thin
arcuate member, making installation easier than prior art devices. The arcuate
member is thereby inserted fully through the wall. The arcuate member is
curved
such that when the support means contacts the front surface of the wall the
penetration
means contacts the rear surface of the wall to retain the device firmly in the
wall and
to support the object. The arcuate member, being somewhat resilient, flexes,
resulting
in an internal tension in the arcuate member that keeps the device in place
once
zo installed.
The present device is a hanging device that allows for relatively quick and
easy
installation into a wall without tools. The present invention is able to
support a
heavier load than the prior art devices, and provides for a pressure disk to
facilitate
penetration of the device into the wall. Further, the present device provides
for
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removal of the disk, or hiding thereof from view, once the device is
installed. Other
features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the
following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;
zo FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the invention, illustrated as fully
installed in a wall;
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a pressure disk, taken
generally along lines 4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the pressure
disk,
taken generally along lines 4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a first stop means of
the
invention;
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a first stop
means of
the invention;
zo FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of one embodiment of a penetration end of an
arcuate
member of the invention;
FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of an alternate embodiment of the penetration end
of the
arcuate member of the invention;
FIG. 6C is an enlarged view of yet another alternate embodiment of the
penetration
end of the arcuate member of the invention;
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FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7B is a partial side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 7A;
FIG. 8A is an exploded side elevational view of a support accessory for use in
conjunction with a rigid hook of the invention;
FIG. 8B is an exploded side elevational view of an alternate support
accessory; and
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the arcuate
member of
the invention.
to DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following
explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and
enabling
description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that
the
is invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances,
well-known
structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and
the
zo claims, the words "comprise," "comprising," and the like are to be
construed in an
inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to
say, in the
sense of "including, but not limited to." Words using the singular or plural
number
also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the
words
"herein," "above," "below" and words of similar import, when used in this
25 application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any
particular portions
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of this application. When the claims use the word "or" in reference to a list
of two or
more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word:
any of
the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the
items in the
list. Any use of the word "means" herein is intended to invoke means-plus-
function
limitation in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, even if the
word
"means" follows words describing the function.
FIGS. 1--3 illustrate a device 10 for support an object 20 on a wall 30, the
wall 30
having a front surface 32 and a rear surface 38. The wall 30 may be standard
wallboard, drywall, gypsum, plaster, or the like. The object 20 may be a
picture
frame, mirror, or other object 20 as determined by a user of the device 10.
The device 10 includes an arcuate member 40 having a penetration end 42 that
terminates in at least one point 50. In one embodiment, the penetration end
terminates
in two points 50 (FIG. 6B). In an alternate embodiment, the penetration end 42
terminates in two points 58 and a relatively shorter center point 55 (FIG.
6A), the
combination of points 58, 55 serving to efficiently pierce drywall paper (not
shown),
or the like. At least one width-reducing step 52 (FIG. 6B) may also be
included
proximate the penetration end 42 for facilitating the piercing of drywall
materials
zo incrementally as the penetration end 42 is forced through the wall 30.
For example,
two 1/16" steps that incrementally increase the width of the penetration end
42 from
1/8" to 3/16" and then from 3/16" to 1/4, may be included. Preferably the
penetration
end 42 includes two such steps 52, staggered with respect to their lateral
position
along the length of the arcuate member 40, each 1/16" of an inch in width, but
clearly
other dimensions and numbers of steps 52 may be used. Alternately, or
additionally,
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the penetration end 42 may include a corkscrew cutting blade 150 (FIG. 6C) for
boring through the wall 30 when the arcuate member 40 is pressed against the
front
surface 32 of the wall 30 and rotated. Other cutting configurations may be
included at
the penetration end 42 without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present
S invention.
The arcuate member 40 further includes a support end 48, opposite the
penetration
end 42, that has a support means 60. Preferably the support means 60 is a U-
shaped
hook 100 (FIGS. 1--3). Clearly the support means 60 may also be formed into a
V-
to shaped or J-shaped hook (not shown), or other hook shape as may be
desired.
In one embodiment of the invention, the device 10 includes a pressure disk 70
slidably retained at an aperture 80 therethrough on the arcuate member 40
between
the penetration end 42 and the support end 48. A first stop means 90 is
included
is along the arcuate member 40 proximate the penetration end 42 for
retaining the
pressure disk 70 on the arcuate member 40. In one embodiment, the support end
48
of the arcuate member 40 is engageable with the pressure disk 70 to form the
support
means 60 (not shown). As such, the pressure disk 70 may include the U-shaped
hook
100, the pressure disk 70 being prevented from disengaging the arcuate member
40 at
20 the support end 48 thereof. The pressure disk 70 may be circular in plan
view, as
illustrated, but may also take any other suitable shape as desired, such as
square,
rectangular, oval, or the like. The pressure disk 70 is preferably stamped out
of a
metal sheet material, but may also be molded from a rigid and strong plastic
material,
epoxy resin material, or the like.
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The support means 60 may be formed to allow the pressure disk 70 to be removed
from the support end 50 of the arcuate member 40, or not, as desired. For
example, a
V-shaped hook as the support means 60 prevents the pressure disk 70 from being
removed from the device 10. Alternately, the U-shaped hook 110 may be formed
to
allow the pressure disk 70 to slide off of the support end 48 of the arcuate
member 40.
Alternately, the aperture 80 of the pressure disk 70 is a J-shaped slot 160
open at one
edge 75 of the pressure disk 70, which allows the pressure disk 70 to be
selectively
removed from the arcuate member 40 laterally (FIG. 4A).
to The first stop means 90, in one embodiment, is the binding friction
caused between
the aperture 80 in the pressure disk 70 and the arcuate member 40 when
pressure is
applied to one side of the pressure disk 70 (FIG. 5A). As such, the arcuate
member
40 passes through the aperture 80 with a close tolerance, such as a few less
than 0.010
of an inch, for example. Serrations 130 (FIG. 5B) may additionally be included
along
the length of the arcuate member 40 to increase the binding friction of the
first stop
means 90. Alternately, or additionally, the first stop means 90 may further
include a
first protrusion 140 (FIGS. 1 and 2) formed proximate the penetration end 42
of the
arcuate member 40. The first protrusion 140 extends away from the arcuate
member
40 sufficiently to stop the pressure disk 70 from sliding past the first
protrusion 140,
zo as the first protrusion height plus the width of the arcuate member 40
exceeds the
width of the aperture 80 in the arcuate member 40. Preferably the first
protrusion 140
is ramped so that the pressure disk 70 may be installed onto the arcuate
member 40 at
the penetration end 42 during manufacturing. A second protrusion 141 may be
further
included for creating a trough through the wall 30 as a guide or track for the
first
protrusion 140 therethrough.
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The arcuate member 40 may be circular in cross-section, wherein the aperture
80 in
the pressure disk 70 is also circular (not shown) and adapted to receive the
arcuate
member 40 therethrough. In such an embodiment the pressure disk 70 is
rotatable on
the arcuate member 40. Alternately, the arcuate member 40 may be non-circular
in
cross-section, such as rectangular (FIGS. 4A and 4B), oval (not shown), square
(not
shown), D-shape (not shown), or the like. As such, the aperture 80 in the
pressure
disk 70 is a cooperative non-circular shape and is adapted to receive the
arcuate
member 40 therethrough, the pressure disk 70 being rotationally fixed with
respect to
the arcuate member 40. The arcuate member 40 is preferably made of spring
steel,
but can also be made of any other suitably strong, resilient materials, such
as
aluminum, zinc, hydrocarbon polymers, or the like. For example, a rectangular
shaped
spring steel wire arcuate member 40 having cross-sectional dimensions of
approximately 0.0625" x 0.25" can hold up to 165 lbs. in a standard 5/8"
drywall wall
30. Larger gauge wire may be used for heavier load requirements. Such an
arcuate
member 40 may be formed by stamping from a sheet steel material, for example,
and
then bent into the arcuate shape illustrated in FIG. 2.
The support means 60 may alternately take the form of a rigid hook 110 (FIGS.
7A,
zo 7B, 8A, and 8B) fixedly molded around, or otherwise attached to, the
support end 48
of the arcuate member 40. Such a rigid hook 110 preferably includes a wall-
contacting surface 112 and, optionally, a pressure disk depression 114 (FIG.
7B) that
is recessed from the wall-contacting surface 112 by at least the width W of
the
pressure disk 70, such that the pressure disk 70 may be fully contained, out
of sight,
within the disk depression 114 when the rigid hook 110 is installed fully
against the
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wall 30. The pressure disk depression 114 may conform to the shape of the
pressure
disk 70, or, alternately, the wall-contacting surface 112 is formed on a
peripheral lip
(not shown) of the rigid hook 110, the pressure disk depression 114 taking the
form of
the rigid hook 110 less the peripheral wall-contacting surface 112.
A plurality of different support accessories 120 may be included, the rigid
hook 110
being adapted to support each support accessory 120 thereon (FIGS. 8A and 8B).
Such support accessories 120 may each snap onto, magnetically attach, or
otherwise
cooperate with the rigid hook 110 to be selectively yet firmly held thereby on
the wall
30. Examples of support accessories 120 may include, for example, any of the
following: various sized picture hanging hooks, double hooks, key ring
holders, towel
holders, coat hangers, or similar types of hook or hanging-type devices.
Additionally, the support means 60 may include a wall-penetrating pin 170
(FIG. 8A)
for penetrating the wall 30, thereby maintaining the rotational orientation of
the
support means 60 with respect to the wall 30 when fully installed therein.
Further, a
second stop means 180 (FIG. 2) may be fixed to the arcuate member 40 for
allowing
the arcuate member 40 to pass through the wall 30 in one direction but not in
the
reverse direction. Such a second stop means 180 may be a protrusion stamped
out of
zo the arcuate member 40 proximate the support end 48. A non-linear wall
engagement
section 190 (FIG. 9) may be further included proximate the support end 48 of
the
arcuate member 40, such that when fully inserted into the wall 30 the device
10 is
retained therein by friction of the wall engagement section 190 with the wall
30. Such
a wall engagement section 190 may take the form of a more-pronounced arc in
the
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arcuate member 40, serrations (not shown), a thicker portion of the arcuate
member
(not shown), or the like.
In use, with the pressure disk 70 engaging the first stop means 90 and the
penetration
end 42 of the arcuate member 40 contacting the front surface 32 of the wall
30,
pressure is applied to the pressure disk 70 to force the penetration end 42 of
the
arcuate member 40 through the wall 30. The pressure disk 70 is easier for the
typical
user to press against than the relatively thin arcuate member 40, making
installation
easier than prior art devices. The arcuate member 40 is thereby inserted fully
through
the wall. The arcuate member 40 is curved such that when the support means 60
contacts the front surface 32 of the wall 30 the penetration means 42 contacts
the rear
surface 38 of the wall 30 to retain the device 10 firmly in the wall 30 and to
support
the object 20. The arcuate member 40, being somewhat resilient, flexes,
resulting in
an internal tension in the arcuate member 40 that keeps the device 10 in place
once
installed. The amount of tension in the arcuate member 40 depends in some part
on
the thickness of the wall 30, and different sized arcuate members 40, or
arcuate
members 40 having differently-shaped arcs, may be made to accommodate
different
thicknesses of the wall 30, such as 1/4", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", or the like.
zo In an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein the arcuate member
40 is non-
circular in cross-section, and that either includes or does not include the
pressure disk
70 as desired, the arcuate member 40 further includes a spiral section 200
(FIGS. 7A
and 9) between the support end 48 and the penetration end 42 thereof As such,
when
the arcuate member 40 is being forced through the wall 30, the arcuate member
40
rotates preferably about 180 degrees as the spiral section 200 passes through
the wall
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30. In such an embodiment, the arcuate member 40 is first positioned with the
penetration end 42 against the front surface 32 of the wall 30 and oriented
with the
support means 60 inverted with respect to a final desired support means
position 201.
After the arcuate member 40 is pushed fully through the wall 30, the support
means
60 is positioned upright as desired. Such an embodiment is relatively easy to
push
through the wall 30 by grasping the majority of the arcuate member 40 with all
fingers of a human hand (not shown), for example, and pressing the penetration
end
42 of the arcuate member 40 into the wall 30 with the thumb. The spiral
section 200
may be lengthened as desired into a longer spiral section 200 to minimize wall
damage 30 with softer or thicker wall materials.
While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described,
it will be
apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the
spirit and
scope of the invention. For example, the arcuate member 40 is illustrated as
is rectangular in cross-section, but any other suitable shape may also be
effective.
Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by
the
appended claims.
Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the
zo invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being
redefined herein
to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the
invention
with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the
following
claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific
embodiments
disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section
explicitly
25 defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention
encompasses not
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only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or
implementing the invention.
The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not
intended to
be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or
to the
particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific
embodiments of,
and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes,
various
equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as
those
skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the
invention
to provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the
system described
above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be
combined to provide further embodiments.
Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems,
functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide
yet
further embodiments of the invention.
zo Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above "Detailed
Description."
While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and
describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears
in
text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation
details
may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed
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herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain
features
or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology
is being
redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features,
or aspects of
the invention with which that terminology is associated.
In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to
limit the
invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless
the above
Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the
actual
scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but
also all
ill equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the
claims.
While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim
forms, the
inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of
claim
forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims
after
filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects
of the
invention.
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